Passion and Pistols
by starcrossed.emma
Summary: When seven guests get invited to a mysterious dinner party, hosted by nobody in particular, what is to be expected? Trouble, for sure. A murder mystery type story. That means character death. Rating may change. HBP spoilers.
1. Introductions

**A/N: **Well, this is just an idea that came to me this afternoon after I watched _Clue_ (With Tim Curry). I hope you all like it; I'm going to make it a rather long novel (not JKR long, but clearly not a oneshot.) Well? What are you waiting for? Read on.

**Super-Ultra-Disclaimer:** If I owned _Clue_, the movie would be remade constantly (because it's so AWESOME); and if I owned _Harry Potter_, Hermione would've dumped Ron by now.

"Miss?" The house elf asked, looking nervous.

"Yes?" Its mistress replied sharply, not looking away from her fire. With her especially, it seemed true that firelight made one more appealing. Her long hair cascaded around her, giving her the appeal of a much warmer character.

"Somebody has arrived."

Finally, she tore her eyes from the flames dancing before her. "Who is it?"

"It is… Draco Malfoy, Miss."

"Very good. The others will be here shortly, I trust?"

"Yes, Miss."

--

"Hello, Miss," The house elf said as it opened the door. "May I take your jacket?"

"No, thank you," Ginny Weasley replied as she walked inside. "It's rather cold, if I do say so myself. I do love your outfit, though."

"Mistress made it for me," The house elf blushed as it tugged at the light purple suit it was wearing. "She says that it is important to look your best, always. No matter what the occasion."

"That brings me to my next question: who exactly has invited me here?"

"You shall see, Miss," the elf said, leading Ginny along. After going through the grand entryway, the elf led Ginny into a room that seemed full to the brim with books.

"Oh, Hermione would love this room," Ginny smiled as she looked around.

"Ginevra," A cool voice said. Ginny looked around and saw none other than Draco Malfoy staring at her, his eyes looking positively radiant against his Slytherin Green tie.

"Draco, it has been too long," she said as he kissed her hand. He slid his hand down her back and smiled.

"That is quite the outfit," He said. Her white silk dress was very tight until it hit her waist, and then until it hit her knees, it puffed out.

"I try," Ginny said airily. "Now, what is going on here? Why are you having a dinner party?"

"_I'm_ certainly…" Draco began, but stopped speaking when Harry Potter walked into the room. "Harry Potter."

"You certainly are not Harry Potter," Ginny laughed, before turning and seeing her husband staring at her. "Harry?"

"Gin?" Harry asked, reaching up instinctively to make sure that the top button of his purple shirt was snapped.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"But you won't," Ginny said pointedly. "Because I asked you first."

"I was invited to dinner," Harry said, pulling out a scroll of paper.

"So was I."

"So nice of you to send us the invites, Malfoy."

"Although I don't see why," Ginny said, taking Harry's hand nervously.

Draco scratched his head. Then, the door to the library opened once again, and Hermione Granger walked in, looking striking in a short, red dress and black fishnet stockings. "I should've expected you'd thrown a party, Harry!" Hermione squealed, hugging Harry and Ginny. "But I never expected you'd invite Malfoy…"

"Malfoy invited _us_," Ginny said, looking from Malfoy to Hermione.

"Sure, let's go with that," Draco said under his breath. "It's lovely to see you, Hermione." He kissed her hand as he had Ginny's, and she flushed scarlet.

"You too, Draco."

"Where's your husband?" Draco sneered, making Hermione blush.

"I don't know…"

"Lost track of him again, have we?"

"Shut it, Malfoy," Ron Weasley said as he walked in, slamming the door of the room behind him. He wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist protectively.

"That's no way to treat your superior, Weasley," Malfoy smirked. "I see you didn't dress for the occasion. Tacky, as always." Ron's ears reddened as he looked down at his yellow tie.

"They match my socks," He said defensively, pulling up the bottom of his pant leg to expose the mustard yellow socks that had once belonged to Harry.

"And here I am," Pansy Parkinson said regally, throwing the door to the library open and parading in. Her long, sleek, blue dress complimented her pale skin and dark hair miraculously. Behind her trailed Neville Longbottom, looking lost and confused. "Fancy seeing you here, darling," she said as she kissed Draco's cheek.

"Oh yes, remembered you have a husband, eh?" Draco said, kissing her in return.

"Hello, Neville," Ginny said, kissing his cheek.

"Hi, Gin," Neville smiled.

"Let's get a move on with this dinner date, Malfoy," Harry said bluntly. "I've got better things to waste my Friday night doing."

"Why do I always have to do everything?" Draco asked sullenly.

"Because it's your house and it's your party!"

"Actually," Draco began. Before he could finish, however, the door to the library opened, and Theodore Nott entered, looking very suave in a neatly pressed suit.

"Theo," Pansy cooed when he placed his hand on the small of her back and kissed her mouth lightly.

"Pansy, Darling. Let's get this show on the road, shall we? We should probably start with dinner. The dining room?" He asked, and everybody stood, dumbfounded, as he led them out into a miraculous dining room.

"Now, then," Theo said, folding his hands. "Who gathered us here tonight?"

"Draco," Hermione said, pointing at Draco, who stood awestruck by his place setting.

"Now, darling, if I invited you, why would I not be at the head of the table?"

"But who else would invite other people to your house?" Harry said, resting his head in his hands.

"I never said…"

"Where am I supposed to sit?" Neville asked, looking around as the chairs filled up.

"Begging your pardon, sir, but you were only invited at the last minute, so I forgot to put a place setting down," the tiny house elf said, entering the room with a chair that was at least twice its size. Hermione hurried to help the tiny elf place the chair next to the table.

"When did your invitations come?" Neville asked, looking around the room. There was a mixture of 'this morning's and 'yesterday afternoon's, and Neville flushed. "Mine came this evening."

"Nice of you to join, then," Theo said. "And with no date. Tut, it is a shame indeed."

"Well, what did your invitation say?" Neville asked Theo.

"It simply said that I was expected to attend this dinner, and if I didn't, there would be… _consequences_."

"That's strange," Harry piped up for the first time. "Mine simply said that it was in my best interest to come." There were murmurs of ascent from those around him.

"Well, I think I know why," Theodore concluded after a minute. Everybody looked at him, clearly shocked.

"Why?" Ron asked when nobody else said anything.

"I think that I have been called here to discuss what has been happening for the past half year," Theodore said coldly.

"Nothing's been happening, though," Hermione said anxiously. "Has there?"

"Indeed, there has."

"What, then?" Ron prompted.

"I believe that I have been summoned to tell you some…secrets."

"Secrets about what?" Pansy asked. Ginny scoffed and said something that sounded a lot like 'we all know that _you_ love gossip, Parkinson', but fell silent when Theodore gave her a cold look.

"You see, I know certain secrets about all of you. Secrets that I will benefit greatly from exposing tonight."

**A/N:** Well? How was it? I conclude that you know who everyone is (movie-wise). I'll give you a hint, and hope you can deduce the rest: Ron's wearing mustard yellow socks.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed it! R&R? Or I'll get you… with the candlestick in the study :P

Love,  
Sinead


	2. Revelations

**A/N: **Here's Chapter Two-- it's still setting up for the real "mystery"... [:

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"A woman has a much better chance than a man of acquittal on a muder charge. If she happens to be a blonde, her chances rise about 45 percent."  
--John McGeorge

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**Chapter Two: Revelations**

"Secrets? What do you mean?" Ron asked, affronted. Theodore looked around the room, and noticed that most people looked anxious or nervous. However, when his gaze settled on Pansy Parkinson, he noted that she was looking completely blank.

"Well, Parkinson? How about we start with you?"

"There is nothing to tell; I have done nothing wrong," Pansy said, her voice high and shrill.

"Oh, haven't you?" Theodore said tauntingly.

"You wouldn't! There is nothing to say! You can't tell them!"

"You know what they say, Parkinson," Theodore said, standing behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders, noting that she had stiffened considerably. He leaned close to her ear and said in a deathly tone, "Secrets, secrets are no fun, unless they're shared with _everyone_."

"Bastard!" Draco shouted, standing suddenly and throwing his dinner knife at Theodore. He missed, though, and Theo stood straight, looking daggers at Draco. "Take your bloody hands off my wife!"

"My hands aren't the only bloody hands here," Theodore said, his eyes flickering towards Ginny.

"Dinner is served," another tiny house elf piped up, walking into the room. Everybody settled down slightly at this, and a parade of tiny elves entered, each carrying a plate of salad.

"This looks splendid," Hermione said, patting an elf on the head. "I've never seen a dish so magnificent."

"This is actually a classic," Draco said.

"Only for people rich enough to afford it," Ginny said bluntly. Hermione shot her a reproving look, and Ginny flushed red.

"It's alright, Mione," Draco said, earning himself a few dirty looks from Ron. "She's right."

"Since when are you on a first name basis with my wife, Malfoy?" Ron asked.

"Since when do you care who I'm on a first name basis with, Weasley?" Draco shot back.

"Enough!" Ginny said. "I don't want to be here if everybody's arguing!"

"Then why _are_ you here, Gin?" Harry asked accusingly. "You told me you were going out with friends."

"Technically, although I had no idea they were coming," Ginny began, blushing. "They are my friends."

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Harry asked. "Trying to get away from me?"

"So what if I was? Is it that punishable for me to want a night without you?!" Ginny asked angrily.

"If you don't mind my saying," Draco began. "I'm sure if you read your invitation, _Potter_, it said that you should not tell anybody about this meeting. That would, possibly, be why I didn't know Pansy would be here, and Hermione didn't know that Ron would be here. Longbottom, on the other hand… I don't know what he's doing here."

"This is true," Harry said quietly.

"Well," Theodore said after a minute. "I believe that we should retire to the study for brandy. And possibly some revelations."

"That sounds lovely," Pansy said contemptuously. She followed Theo back down the hallway into the same library that she had first entered. She sat on a loveseat, sprawling herself luxuriously on it. Draco took a seat on a couch and gestured for Hermione to sit beside him, which she took, looking mildly surprised, but happy nonetheless. Ron quickly pushed Hermione sideways and sat between her and Draco.

"Shall we start with you, Pansy?" Theodore said, sitting in a black leather armchair.

"That sounds marvelous," Draco said, looking coldly at his wife. "What have you been up to, _darling_?"

"Why are you telling people? Does it matter?" Pansy said, throwing her arms up in disgust. "I'm leaving!" She made to dart out of the door, followed by Ginny and Harry, but Theodore called after them.

"I've locked all the doors, and windows. I've disconnected the Floo network from this house. You cannot apparate, and as of 9:00 this evening, all wandpower has been removed from the house."

"That's preposterous!" Ginny said, trying and failing to open a window. "You can't keep us prisoner here!"

"And yet, it seems like it is working quite well," Theodore smirked.

"Bastard," Pansy said, taking a glass of brandy off of a tray and downing it in one gulp.

"Now, if you don't mind, I have some incriminating evidence that I would like to share. And, assuming you cannot pay my prices, I'll reveal it to the entire _world_. Now, Pansy… Should I just begin with the fact that Scorpio isn't Draco's child? Or shall I begin with the fact that you're cheating on your husband with Longbottom _and_ Weasley here?"

"You're _what_?" Hermione and Draco asked in unison, staring daggers at their significant others.

"And you, Harry," Theodore said. "It really is a shame that Marie Lockhart isn't doing so well in Defense Against the Dark Arts, isn't it?"

"Who's Marie Lockhart?" Ginny asked, looking at Harry skeptically.

"Professor Potter here would know," Theodore said. "Marie knows you quite well, doesn't she?"

"She—there's nothing going on between us!"

"Yet, it seems her grades have skyrocketed since you've started having affairs with her."

"He's lying!" Harry yelled at his wife.

"I don't believe you!" Ginny shouted at Nott. "Prove it."

"Oh, my _dear_, _sweet_ Ginevra. I can prove everything I say, simply by opening this envelope," Theodore said, withdrawing a large envelope and tearing it open. He took out a picture and held it up to the room. The picture portrayed a man walking by a house, peering through the windows, and walking onward when a young lady would open the door. Hermione shrieked. "Oh, wrong picture," Theo said nonchalantly. "You would know, wouldn't you, Neville?"

"Hermione," Neville began, but she cut him off.

"You _stalked_ me? You looked into my _house_?" She raged. "Neville Longbottom! I cannot _believe_ you!"

"That's not all, Hermione. He's been planting the nightmares in your mind," Theodore said, removing a document from the folder. "And Ginny, what's this?" He unfolded the paper.

"You went through my things to find that, Nott," Ginny said, visibly shaken, and clearly aware of what the document was.

"It seems that a few of your husbands have… disappeared. After you and Harry had your divorce _so _long ago, you were married several times, before the two of you got back together, weren't you?"

"Only a few."

"Oh? How many times?"

"…Five."

"Five? And… how did you come to lose so many?"

"I hope, Nott, that you are not accusing me of murdering them!"

"Indeed I am, Ginny. I have documentation stating that you purchased lethal poisons, and the same poisons appeared in the bloodstreams of your husbands. Now, I would say that other people may have killed them, but only an accomplished healer like yourself would be able to get the venoms. How do you plead?"

"I… feel that men should be like Kleenex: soft, strong, and disposable."

"So you plead guilty?" Harry asked incredulously.

"I never said that."

"Murderer!" Ron shouted. "My sister's a goddamned _murderer_!"

"And you're much better," Theodore said. "Stealing records from the Department of Mysteries?"

"Ronald!" Hermione reprimanded.

"And selling them on the Black Market so that you can gamble away all your winnings and your wife will _never be any the wiser_?"

"Bastard," Draco said, turning away from the man sitting next to him.

"Well then, Draco. Let's fess up. Would you like me to do the honors, or would you prefer to say it all yourself?"

"I'll say it," Draco said, standing up and moving far away from Ron.

"Pray, proceed."

"Since the month before Hermione and Weasle-bee were married, we've been sleeping together… rather frequently."

"That's… not as bad as some of the things said tonight," Ginny said fairly.

"Not as bad?!" Ron asked incredulously. "That means—Hugo… isn't…"

"Ronald!"

"He was two weeks early, and it hadn't been nine months since we married!"

"Begging your pardons," the tiny elf said yet again as it walked into the room. It held out a briefcase to Draco. "But I believe that these are for you to distribute."

**

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**

**A/N:** Decent? Well, I got (not joking) 96 hits. I was thrilled. But I got two reviews. And I'm not sure (I know with me, I'm afraid of horror stories...) if you guys just don't think that this sounds "safe" or "happy"... so, if you're intrested, let me know so I can decide whether or not to drop it. 'Cause I'm contemplating. Anyway, happy winter!

Love,  
Sinead


	3. The Weapons

**A/N:** Thanks for reviewing, guys. I'm going to keep writing, and leave you with an obnoxious cliffhanger. Just an FYI. There's also a fic that is allegedly like this (I haven't read it yet, but I plan to.) I suggest that you all read it. It's called _Murder at the Mansion_, and it's a D/Hr. I'm sure that my plotline will end ridiculously-nothing-like-that-one, though.

* * *

"Murder is always a mistake. One should never do anything that one cannot talk about after dinner."  
--Oscar Wilde

* * *

**Chapter Three: **The Weapons

"Why me?" Draco asked shrewdly, taking the briefcase from the elf.

"Mistress says it must go to the first person to arrive. That is you, Draco Malfoy."

"Mistress? Isn't that…?" Ginny began, but stopped dead when Draco opened the briefcase. Inside were seven parcels, all wrapped neatly and tied with a strand of golden ribbon. Each bore a name on it, and based on those names, Draco began to pass them out.

"Ginevra, Pansy, Ronald, Neville, Harry, Hermione," He said, handing them each a gift. Taking the last in his hands, he looked at it. "Nothing for you, Nott; this one's mine."

"What do you say? How 'bout we open them?" Ron asked. Theo stiffened slightly as each person neatly opened their boxes; he had a strange feeling that it would not be beneficial for him to be here tonight, and he suddenly wished he had not cast spells to lock them into the house.

"What?" Ginny asked, pulling a sharp, silver dagger out of her box. Hermione looked equally stunned when she took a noose out of her box.

"What _is_ this?" Draco asked, taking a gun out of his own box. Ron withdrew a basilisk fang; Pansy took out a tiny candy; a Ton-Tongue-Toffee from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and Harry removed a candlestick from his own box. Finally, there was Neville, trembling like there was no tomorrow, holding his unopened box.

"Hurry up, Nev," Ginny said reassuringly. He slid off the ribbon and opened the box, revealing a bottle with a scull marked on the front.

"The draft of Living Death," Hermione noted casually. "I can tell by the black steam clouding under the cork in the jar. It's highly venomous if you drink too much, but if you're only given a few drops, you'll simply go into an induced coma."

"Enough. What is this?" Draco asked, shoving the gun at Hermione.

"Be careful!" Hermione reprimanded, taking the gun from him. "This is a _gun_. It has… three shots in it. To fire, you pull back this lever, and pull this trigger." Hermione demonstrated.

"Why couldn't 'Mistress' just give me a wand?" He asked sarcastically.

"I'll find somewhere to _put_ your wand, since you've been fucking my _wife_!" Ron shouted.

"And _you've_ been fucking _mine_! Now we're even!"

"Yours has been sleeping with the whole _town_!" Ron retorted.

"Enough!" Ginny shrieked. "I just want to get out of this goddamned place!"

"Even if we do, he'll blackmail us into poverty."

"And then some," Theo added, smirking.

"Then… _let's kill him_," Hermione smirked. Theodore took a step back looking utterly repulsed.

"Granger, don't come anywhere near me."

"You deserve it, you asshole," Hermione said bitterly, drawing closer to him.

"Excuse me," The elf piped up once again. "I must lead you to your bedrooms." Hermione sighed in anger as the group of eight followed the elf out of the room and up a large staircase. The staircase split about halfway up, and the elf explained that the girls would be on the third floor, and the boys would be on the second floor. "Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom," The elf gestured each person into a room as it spoke.

"What about Nott?" Hermione asked.

"Master is not to sleep in the same wing of the house as you."

"Aha," Hermione said, still puzzled. The girls followed the creature up the second flight of stairs, and filed into their rooms just as the boys had. After the elf was gone, Hermione went into Ginny's dark room and called out for her.

"Hermione," Ginny replied, her voice hoarse. "What are you doing?"

"Gin, I'm not sleeping alone in this place. I have a fucking piece of _rope_. Will that save me from Draco Malfoy? With a _gun_?"

"Hermione, I love you like a sister, and all, but I'm not sleeping with you."

"You'll be the death of me, Ginny Weasley," Hermione sighed sarcastically, turning to leave.

"Hermione! Stop it. If you care all that much, fine. But I'm not sleeping a wink tonight; you think that I want to get murdered in my sleep?"

"Thank you Ginny!" Hermione squealed, hugging her sister-in-law.

"Let's talk."

"About what?"

"Why you're cheating on my brother."

"Or why you kill off your husbands?"

"You start."

"Alright… well, to be honest, Gin… Ron and I never _fit_. He never worked quite as hard as me, and during our engagement, I rather felt that he was turning from me."

"And he did," Ginny said. It wasn't a question, but it was said in an accusing tone.

"You heard he slept with Parkinson. It takes a cold woman to drive her husband into _Parkinson's_ arms."

Ginny laughed. Hermione laughed. And for a moment, it seemed like there was nothing wrong with the world; they weren't locked in a house, they weren't victims or suspects of murder… but their world crashed around their eyes when a scream tore through their ears.

The two girls stopped laughing immediately, and stared at each other, awestruck and nervous.

"Pansy," they whispered.

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**A/N: **Cliffy. The next chapter's already written and ready to be uploaded. Review if you want to find out what happened [:  
Thanks so much for all you guys who already have; I love reviews. Well, I'll leave it at that. Sorry this was so short, though. I couldn't bare to let you know why Pansy was screaming bloody murder. [;

Love,  
Sinead


	4. The Knife And the Mysterious Stranger

**A/N:** Here we are—Chapter Four, as promised. Enjoy!

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"Every murderer is probably somebody's old friend."

--Agatha Christie

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**Chapter Four**:The Knife

"Pansy!" Hermione and Ginny shouted. Ginny and Hermione hurdled into Pansy's room, and looked around for the shrieking girl. Pansy was sitting on her bed, holding a gold-plated hairbrush.

"What's wrong?!" Draco shouted, entering the room moments later.

"Is it the murderer?" Hermione asked.

"It's… _ahhh_!" Pansy shrieked. She pointed at the wall opposite her bed, where a spider, just big enough for Pansy to see from her bed, was crawling up the wall. Two bodies backed away, and Ron wrapped his arms around his wife as he did so.

"Are you serious?" Malfoy asked darkly. He pulled out his gun, aimed at the wall, and shot. The wall crumpled to pieces around the bullet, and a dead spider fell to the floor.

"Draco!" Hermione shouted. She took the gun from him and examined it. "Now there are only two bullets left!"

"What?"

"This _isn't_ like a wand! You can't just fire at will; you need _bullets_, and _this_ only has two left!"

"This is cheap!" Draco said, throwing the gun into the hallway. There was another loud bang, and everybody jumped.

"One," Ginny said, but Hermione threw up her hands.

"That wasn't a gun. That was…"

"It must have been Theo's room… we… _have_ to go find him," Pansy shuddered.

"Go for it, Parkinson," Harry said bitterly. "I'm staying here."

"I'm going," Ginny said, stomping out of the room and picking up the gun. Hermione hastened to follow her, and Pansy, throwing one strained look at Draco, darted out of the room as well. Draco followed her cautiously, leaving Ron and Harry staring at each other.

"Let's go, mate," Ron said. "I don't reckon we could beat a murderer."

"Yeah, 'cause killing Voldemort was _so_ hard," Harry said sarcastically. Ron shot him a quizzical look, and Harry sighed. "Let's just go," he said, following the other guests down the staircase.

"I think it came from over here…" Ginny said, pointing down a hallway. Sure enough, they could tell they'd reached Theo's room when they saw blood running down the hallway. They followed the trail of blood, much to Ron's disgust, into the room where Theodore Nott was laying, cut apart and mangled, on the floor.

"Who the _fuck_ is that barbaric?" Neville said, staring down at the sight before him.

"It's disgusting."

"I… can't believe _anyone_ here would do that," Hermione said shakily. She walked carefully to the body laying on the floor.

"Don't touch him!" Ginny shrieked. "We don't know how he died."

"Yes we do, are you _daft_?" Draco asked, shoving Ginny aside. "He _clearly _got cut to bits!"

"That could've been _after_ he was killed. Besides…" Ginny said, but she was cut off.

"Who had the dagger?!" Neville shouted suddenly.

"It was…" Pansy began, her gaze drifting between the people in the room. "Ginny."

"Ginny, you…" Harry began, stepping away from her quickly and slipping in a pool of blood. "You killed him! Just like all the other men!"

"I… I…" Ginny felt around in her pockets. Her vision became hazy; she couldn't seem to remember how she'd lost the dagger. "I don't know where the dagger went."

"Right there!" Neville pointed into the bloody mass that was Theodore Nott. Embedded in his heart was Ginny's silver dagger. Her mouth went dry.

"I didn't!" Ginny shouted at once. "I never! I must have put it down, somewhere!"

"It wouldn't be the first time you brutally murdered a man," Draco said, glaring contemptuously at Ginny. Harry's gaze immediately drifted back at Theo.

"Is that what you did to all of them? How would you have known that he wasn't _just_ cut to bits? You said it yourself!" Harry accused. "You said that it could've been after he died."

"She didn't…" Hermione said quietly. All eyes turned to her. "I was with her all evening. She couldn't have done it; I was with her."

"Are you sure you're not just defending her?" Ron asked snidely.

"Yes, _Ronald_, I'm certain."

"Then who was it?"

"It couldn't be anyone here. Nobody here is that disgusting," Draco said angrily. "There must be someone else in the house."

"Wouldn't you know?" Ginny asked.

"Why would I know?"

"Malfoy Mansion… your house…?"

"When did I ever say that I lived here?"

"You… were the first one here… this _is_ your house… isn't it?" Hermione asked.

"Ah, the bookworm thinks that because I was the first person here, I _must_ have been the one to throw the party."

"Well then, ferret, whose party _is_ it?" Ginny asked angrily.

"I don't know!" Draco said exasperatedly. "I was simply _invited_, Weaslebee, just like _you_."

"Well, I suppose there's only one thing to do…" Harry began. All eyes focused on him. "We need to search the house."

"I'm not walking around the house with anyone! I'll get killed!" Neville said nervously.

"Well, we need to do _something_. We'll draw straws for who goes with who--we'll also lock the weapons in a cabinet," Harry said defiantly. He dropped his own candlestick onto the ground. Ron dropped the basilisk fang, and Ginny threw down Draco's revolver. Hermione let a length of rope fall before her, and Pansy dropped her tiny candy. Neville finally placed his glass bottle on the floor before them, trembling once again. Draco had hurried to remove the dagger from Theodore's bleeding heart, and when he had done so, threw it across the room to the pile Harry was standing before.

"Wh-what if s-somebody's p-p-paired up with th-the m-murder?" Neville stuttered.

"For lack of a better description, they'll be dead," Ron said bluntly.

"Well... th-then what?" Neville asked.

"At least we'll know who the murderer is," Draco said sheepishly, grinning at everyone. He reached over to Nott's bedside table, where a large jar of matches was perched. He took out seven, and began breaking them into equal lengths. At last, he reached the last match, and sighed. "Someone's walking alone."

"No way will it be _me_!" Ginny shouted.

"Why not? You killed him in the first place!" Pansy shrieked devilishly.

"We've covered this! I was with her all night!"

"Doing _what_ precisely?" Pansy asked, fuming.

"We were just talking!" Hermione shouted back, outraged.

"Yeah--just _plotting to kill us_!" Pansy shrieked, livid and horrified.

"Enough!" Malfoy boomed, pushing Pansy away from Hermione. He held out the matches, and everybody picked one. After half a minute, each person was holding a match, and looking nervous. They all hastened to find their respective partners: Pansy and Harry, Neville and Ginny, Draco and Hermione, and Ron was left alone.

"You can come with us," Pansy offered. Harry nodded nervously.

"The more the merrier, after all," He said.

"Well, Nev, you and Gin have the shortest matches, so you search the basement. Harry and Pansy and Ron, you take the attic, and Draco and I will take the ground floor," Hermione dictated.

"First, we ought to lock up these weapons," Ginny said airily, taking the weapons in her arms and proceeding to a large cabinet in the front hall. She opened the cabinet, and shoved the arms uncerimoniously into it, slamming it hard. Then, she took a key off of the top of the cabinet, and locked it securely. "I'll hold on to it, for safe keeping," She said.

"You just killed Theo--you think we _want_ you to have access to all the weapons?" Pansy scoffed.

"Fine! We can throw it... outside."

"Fine!" Everyone shouted at once. Ginny darted to the front door, followed by the others, and opened it angrily. She raised her arm to throw the key, and before her, a small, old man cowered.

"Don't!" He squealed. "Don't hurt me!"

* * *

**A/N**: Sorry about the long update! I've been a bit busy, and on top of that, my computer AP Adapter hasn't been working, so Dell (I hate Dell) had to send me a new one. I've been techno-free for a while! Woo! Haha. Well, in that space, I've written out the rest of this story, in addition to the rest of my other fic _Charlotte loves Jake_, which I'll be updating later this week, along with Emma's fic, _British Girl_, which I've beta-d for her. Don't expect it to be marvelous; I wasn't cut out to beta stuff. Haha. Anyway, next update as soon as I get around to typing it out? Review!

**Ohh, before I forget**. Here's a question you can answer in your review, if you can't think of anything else to put.

**If you were an Animagi (like Anamorphs, remember them?) What animal would you choose to change into?**

Well, TTFN.  
Sinead

P.S. _Murder at Malfoy Manor_ is a great fic. If you're interested (It's rated M, though), I'm pretty positive I favorited-ed it.


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